


Ashes to ashes

by Molanna



Category: The Witcher (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:55:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26971747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Molanna/pseuds/Molanna
Summary: At the end of the Battle of Sodden Hill, a distressed Cahir looks at the burning forest. One-shot.
Kudos: 8





	Ashes to ashes

Fire. Scarlet flames of death slithering through the forest like giant snakes, searing, scorching, charring, setting the night sky ablaze. Both mesmerising and horrifying. Unstoppable. Inescapable.

He did not know for how long he had been staring at the red-hot inferno which had swallowed most of his army, within minutes turning thousands of men into human torches, their piercing, inhuman screams still echoing in his ears. Though worst was the biting stench of burning flesh. Human flesh.

Bile rose to his mouth. He swallowed and gripped the reins of his black stallion more tightly to stop his hands from shaking. This surely was the end. The end of everything. And it was all his fault. The Emperor would not be amused.

Why hadn't he listened to the Field Marshall? Why had he trusted the sorceress instead with her empty promises? She would personally deplete them with her magic, Fringilla had assured him! Magic without rules or restrictions, until the enemy was empty and powerless ... Look who was depleted now! Empty, powerless, depleted and thoroughly defeated. The once invincible Nilfgaardian army!

There was no chance in hell anymore to catch the princess. He had utterly failed the White Flame, his country, his men. Most of all his men. They had paid the ultimate price for his stupidity. And all because of the prophecy. Ithlinne's prophecy. Why on earth was it so damnably difficult to fulfil? If it was Cirilla's destiny to end up in Nilfgaard by the White Flame's side, shouldn't it be easier to get her there? Oughtn't destiny help at least a little bit to fulfil itself instead of throwing dozens of powerful mages in his way? What if the doppler was right? What if the prophecy indeed was nothing but nonsense? All this war, death and destruction for a bullshit story hatched from the disturbed mind of a long-dead elf?

And where did that leave him? Not the heroic commissioner of a prophecy that would save the world, but a deluded, maniacal murderer of the innocent and pursuer of little girls?

Cahir blinked. And coughed. Billions of tiny grey flakes were dancing in the air, almost like snow. But they were ashes. Ashes of burnt trees, burnt forest creatures, burnt soldiers. The flakes were everywhere. Even his eyes, his mouth, his lungs were filled with ashes. And as he was watching the flickering flames, transfixed, all his hopes, dreams, ambitions were burning to ashes with his men.

Ashes to ashes ...


End file.
